Guard device



A. F. CRONE GUARD DEVICE Oct. 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 17, 1958 Ii 1 n A. F. CRONE GUARD DEVICE Oct. 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /JNVENTOR. ,4; M

Filed Jan. 17, 1958 United States GUARD DEVICE Alfred F. Crone, Willian'isville, N.Y., assignor toAcme' Highway Products Corporation, Buffalo, NY.

This invention relates to'guard devices or rails such as are used on bridges or otherparts of highways and which generally include a series of postsfirmly secured to a curb or other fixed part of a bridge or highway, and cables supportedby the'posts and extending lengthwise along a side of the highway.

It has been found that persons operating vehicles on an elevated part of a highway, such as a bridge, do not feel safe unless there is a substantial appearing guard rail extending from post to post, the cable itself being'of such small diameter that it does not allay the fears or anxiety of persons driving along the bridge orhighway. Consequently accidents are much more apt to happen unless there are one or more rails of substantial height connecting the posts, even though the rails of themselves are not of suflicient strength to prevent vehicles from running into the guard rail. and possibly over the edge of the bridge or other part of the highway.

One object of this invention is to provide a guard rail of this type with one ormore cables which are of ample strength to keep a vehicle on a bridge, and also one or more fascia rails which are supported by the posts and which may, if desired, be positioned to conceal the cables.

Another object of this invention is to provide posts for a guard device of this type which are constructed to support a cable and a fascia rail in such a manner that the cable is readily accessible for adjustments or repairs.

A further object is to provide posts of this type with atent U ice web 15 and front and back flanges 16 and :17, the posts being preferably wider at their lower portions, and each post may be provided with an aperture 18 in the upper portion of its web.

In order to support the cables and the fascia rail, each post is provided on the front flange 16 thereof with two pairs of integral, outwardly extending bosses or projections 20. In the particular construction illustrated by way of example, -I have shown two cables 10 extending lengthwise of the guard device and arranged one above the other, but it will be understood that any desired number of these cables may be employed. A pair of bosses or projections 20 is provided for each cable.

In order to support the cables, the lower of two bosses or projections of each pair is provided with an upwardly extending bracket or support '21 for the cable, preferably formed integral with the lower boss and the front flange 16, thus reinforcing the lower boss or projection. The upper end of the bracket being preferably rounded so as to form a trough or recess formed to receive the bosses or projections of each pair, are preferably inclined to- 1 Ward each other, and the fascia rails 11- are of U-shape so as to fit snugly by means of a slight wedging action over the outer faces of the bosses or projections of each pair. The fascia rails may be made of relatively thin metal, and if desired, may be of stainless steel or other corrosion-resisting and attractive-appearing metal, and it will be noticed that the fascia rails are very much larger in vertical dimension than the cables 10 so that they present a very solid and firm appearance.

Any suitable means may be provided for securing the fascia rails on the bosses or projections 20 and this is most readily accomplished by providing the fascia rails and bosses with alined holes or openings through which bolts 24 or other fastening means may pass. The holes through which the bolts extend are preferably so positioned that the bolts will be in close proximity to the outer or front edges of the brackets 21 formed on the posts. Consequently, the bolts 24 serve not'only to hold the fascia rail on the ribs or projections, but also serve to confine the cables in the inner portions of the spaces between the bosses or projections 20 so that the cables brackets for supporting the cable and the fascia rail, and i device Fig. 3 is a front elevation thereof showing a post with the fascia rails removed.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, longitudinal view, partly in section, of the guard rail.

'Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary, sectional plan views on line 5-5 and 6- 6 of Fig. 4.

My improved guard rail is mounted on a curb or other rigid and fixed part 8 located at a side of a bridge or highway and includes posts 9 arranged at intervals lengthwise of the base and supporting a cable 10 and fascia rails 11. These rails may be of any desired shape, those shown being of channel or U-shape. The posts may be secured to the curb in any usual manner, for example, by means of bolts 12 embedded in the curb or base and passing through holes in the bases of the posts and provided with nuts 13 by means of which the posts are secured to the-curb. The term curb is herein employed to designate any rigid or fixed part arranged at a side of a highway or pavement.

Each post is preferably formed in one piece and is of approximately I-shape in cross section, having a central cannot be removed or disconnected from the post without first releasing the bolts and removing the fascia rails. The fascia rails are preferably made of lengths sufficient to overlap the posts so that the bolts 24 serve the further purpose of connecting the ends of sections or strips of the fascia rail.

It will be noted in Figs. 5 and 6 that the sides of the bosses '20 converge so that a vehicle impinging against the bosses will be deflected away from the guard rail and would sulfer less damage than it would if the bosses terminated in square corners.

In the use of the posts described to form a guard rail, it will be noted from Figs. 1 and 4 to 6 that the cables terminate in cable ends or connectors 30 which may be of any usual or suitable construction and. which form a connection between the cables 10 and rods 31. These rods are relatively short and are screw threaded to cooperate each with one end of a turn buckle 32, the other end of which cooperates with threaded rods 33 and 34. These rods may be secured to the posts in any desired manner. Preferably I provide end plates 36 and 37 which are formed to fit against the edges of the bossesor projections 20. The rod 34, for example, may be provided with a head 38 which fits into a recess or socket in the end plate 36, and the rod 34 may be held against accidental removal from its post by resting in the trough on the upper face of the bracket 21. Theconstruction shown is particularly well adapted for use in connection with guard devices of such length that several cables are necessary. Fig. 4 shows at the left an end of one of the cables Patented Oct. 6, 1959 and at the right the other end of the cable which terminates in the rod 33, which extends from the post 9 at the right of Fig. 4 and the second from the left of Fig. l to the next post, which is thesecond from the right in Fig. 1. This rod "33 has a threaded portion which extends through a holein the other end plate 37 and is engaged by a nut 39 through which the pull on the cable istransmitted through the'end plate 37 to its post. The rod 33 then extends throug'h a similar end plate at the next post, namely the second post from the right in Fig. 1, and beyond this post the rodis connected to another cable in the same manner as shown in Fig. 4, through the medium of a turn buckle. The last cable at the other end of the guard device is then fastened to the last post by means of a'cons'truction identical with that shown at the left in Fig. 4. v

The end plates '36 and 37 preferably have projecting portions 46 formed to fit between a pair of bosses and also have hooked portions or flanges 41 which extend around the flange 16 of the post. Consequently when these end plates are pulled toward each other by the cables, they firmly interlock with the posts. If desired, the end plate 36 may also have a forwardly extending part provided with a shoulder 42 shaped to receive the adjacent end of a fascia rail.

, In order to prevent thetension of the cables from pulling the end posts toward each other, suitable anchoring means are provided for the end posts of each cable. These anchoring means herein shown by way of example comprise diagonally extending rods 43, the lower ends of which may besuitably secured to anchor fittings 44 secured to' the timber other fixed part of a'highway by means of bolts. 45. The upper portions of the rods 43 extend through the holes 18 formed in the webs of the posts and through anchor washers 47 which are approximately triangular in cross section to form faces approximately perpendicular to the rods. The upper ends of the diagonal rods 43 are screw threaded .to permit adjust'rnent of the same 'by' means of nuts 48 bearing against the anchor washersJ It willbe noted that the upper ends of thedia gonal braces 43 are secured to posts approximately midway between the upper and lower cable connections so that the brace rods 43 can readily resist any forces acting'oneither or' both cables.

' By means of the construction described, it is unnecessary to provide special posts for the ends of the cable and for intermediate portions of the cable, since the 'ribs or projectionsltl, in addition to forming supports for intermediate portions of 'the cables and the fascia rails as shown in Figs. 2"and 3'also serve to support the end plates 36 and 37 as shown in Figs. 4-6.

The po stsmay also'be' provided intermediate of the upper and lower ends thereof with integral brace'members 'or'gussets 47 connecting the' flange 16 with the Web 15'.

. It will be understood that various changes in' the details, materials and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A post fora highway guard rail including a cable, said post having a basefor mounting on a curb "and a front portion facing the pavement of the highway; a pair of projections extending outwardly from the front portion thereof aindfor'med to receive said cable 'between them, a fascia rail of channel shape and" straddling said projections, and boltsextending through said fascia rail and said projections beyond said cable and confining said cable in the space between said projections.

2. A guard rail post formed approximately I-shaped in horizontal cross section with flanges formed integral with the front and rear portions of a web, each post having a base formed to be secured to a curb at the side of a highway, said posts being provided on the front flanges thereof facing the pavement of the highway with outwardly extending pairs of projections, the projections of each pair'being spacedapa'rt, a bolt extending through said projections and confining a cable between the front flange of a post and the bolt, andfascia rails secured to said projections by said bolt.

3. A guard rail post according to claim 2 in which said fascia rail is of U-shaped cross section and straddles said projections and serves to deflect parts of vehicles from contacting with said projections. I

'4. A guardrailpost formed approximately I-shaped in horizontal cross section with flanges formed integral with the'front and rear portions of a web,each post hav ing" a base formed to be secured to a curb at the side of a highway, said posts being provided on the front flanges thereof facing the pavement'of the highwaywith outwardly extending pairs'of-projections, the projections of each 'painbeing spaced apart, a bracket arranged bebween'said projections and forrned'to receive a cable, and a bolt connecting'said projections between said bracket and the ends ofsaid projections for confining said cable to'said'bracket. V

55A guard rail according to claim 4, in which said bracket is formed integral with the lower projection of a pair and the front flange of said post.

6. A'highway guard rail post formed approximately l shap'ed in' horizontal cross section with flanges formed integral with the front and rear'portions' of a web, each post having a base formed'to "be'secured to a curb at the side of a highway, said'posts being provided on the front "flanges thereof facingthe highway with outwardly extending pairs of projections, the'projectionsof each pair'being spaced'a-part, a bracket arrangedbetween said projections and formed to receive a cable, a bolt extending through apertures in said projections in close proximity to said bracket and confining said cable to said bracket, and a fascia rail supported by said projections'and held in place by said bolt.

7. Aguard rail comprising a series of posts arranged in fixed positions, a pair of cables arranged one above the other and supported at intervals bysaid posts, means for securing said cables to posts located at the" ends of said cables, diagonally extending braces each having one 'end secured to a post at an end of the cable at a height intermediate of said cables-and having :its other end anchored in fixed-position, and means for adjustingthe tension of said cables.

8. A guard rail according to claim 7=-and includin fascia rails extending lengthwise of said cables and-secured to said postsin'positions to--partly conceal-.=said cables.

i 9. Aguard' rail comprising a cable extending lengthwise thereof, posts arranged atintervals 'le-ngthwise'of said cable, pairs ofprojections extending outwardly from said posts and between which said cable is held, 'and end plates to which theends of saidcable are connected, said end plates havingpartscooperating with the posts at the ends of said cable and extending between the projections of a pair. 1

l0. A-guard rail comprising a cable-extending lengthwise thereof; posts arranged at intervals lengthwise of said cable; 'eachpost having a weband an integral flange on thefr'ont-edg'e thereof, a pair of projections extending forwardly from said front flange, means between the pro- 'jecti'ons of a pair for supporting said-cable, end plates to which the ends of the cableare secured, said end plates having 'pa-rts cooperating with said projections-for holding said end plates on posts arranged at the ends of said cable, and downwardly inclined brace rods having their wise of said cable, each post having a web and an integral flange on the front edge thereof facing the highway, a pair of projections extending forwardly from said front flange, means between the projections of a pair for supporting said cable, end plates to which the ends of said cable are secured, said end plates having parts extending between the projections of a pair and recessed to receive a part of said front flange for holding said end plates on said posts, said end plates having holes located between said projections when said end plates are on said posts, rods to which theends of said cable are secured, said rods extending through said holes of said end plates, and

- means on said rods for holding them within said holes.

12. A guard rail comprising a pair of cables arranged brace extending in an inclined direction and having one end fixed to the highway and the other end secured to a post, for opposing the pull of said cables on said posts in opposite directions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,791,295 Wolf Feb. 3, 1931 2,085,058 Wood June 29, 1937 2,168,930 Bradshaw Aug. 8, 1939 2,187,641 Briggs Jan. 16, 1940 I 

